These Sour Cream Drop Cookies are an old fashioned recipe that’s worth making over and over. They are SO soft, slightly tangy, and easy to make.
Way before there were Lofthouse cookies, there were these Sour Cream Drop Cookies. They’re also known as Amish Sour Cream Cookies.
I’ve dated this old fashioned recipe back to at least the 1960s. The cookie itself is soft and fluffy, with the tiniest bit of tang from the sour cream. The sour cream offsets the sugar in the cookie and the buttercream frosting so nicely, making a truly irresistible cookie.
They’re easy to make—just use a stand mixer to mix everything, chill, and bake. And, they’re customizable. You can enjoy them on their own, frost them (like these Drop Sugar Cookies), or roll them in sprinkles before baking for a festive treat at Christmas time.
I’m adding these cookies to my Christmas baking list this year, along with Grandma’s Rum Balls and Chocolate Drop Cookies!
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Top tips
- Set out your butter before baking so it softens in time. Leave it out for 1–2 hours at room temperature.
- Use full fat sour cream for best results. The high fat content adds richness, and the acidity in the sour cream keeps them tender.
- Leave enough time for the dough to chill: 2 hours in the refrigerator. This ensures a fluffy cookie (otherwise they will be flat).
- If you’re going to roll the cookie dough in sprinkles, use sanding sugar (also known as decorating sugar or sparkling sugar) for best results.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need:
How to make sour cream Drop cookies
Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. You can also use a large bowl and a hand mixer. Beat until light and fluffy. Then, add the eggs, vanilla, and sour cream, and beat until combined.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until combined. The dough will be quite soft. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
Use a cookie scoop or spoon to roll the cookies into 1½ inch balls. Roll in sanding sugar if desired, or just place on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 9–10 minutes.
The cookies will just begin to brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool before frosting.
Decorating ideas
These cookies are delicious plain. But you can also jazz them up! One option is to roll the cookies in sanding sugar before baking. You can use any color that you like.
Another option is to frost the cookies with a buttercream frosting after baking (the frosting recipe is in the recipe card below). Make sure that the cookies are completely cool before frosting.
You can keep the frosting plain, dye it with food coloring, or add sprinkles to the top (like these edible gold stars).
Can I make sour cream cookies ahead of time?
Sour cream cookies can be made ahead in several ways:
- Make the dough ahead. Refrigerate the dough for up to 48 hours before baking.
- Make and bake the cookies ahead. They will keep 4–5 days in an airtight container. If you’re using frosting, frost the cookies—it’ll keep as long as the cookies do.
More old fashioned cookies
- Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
- Soft & Chewy Ginger Cookies
- Snowball Cookies
- Old Fashioned Spritz Cookies
- Poinsettia Cookies
- Old Fashioned Pineapple Cookies
Love sour cream desserts? Don’t miss my Sour Cream Raisin Pie!
📖 Recipe
Sour Cream Drop Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- ½ cup butter (softened)
- 1½ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2¾ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Decoration option #1
- Sanding sugar
Decoration option #2: frosting
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1½ tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Place ½ cup butter and 1½ cups sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (you can also use a large bowl and a hand mixer). Beat on high until light and fluffy.
- Add the 2 eggs, 1 cup sour cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat to combine.
- Stir in the 2¾ cup flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours (or up to 48 hours).
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop 1½ inch balls onto the baking sheet. Keep 2 inches in between the balls of dough.
- If you’re using sanding sugar, roll each ball in sanding sugar before placing on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 9–10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Let cool.
- If you’re using frosting, place all frosting ingredients (1 cup butter 4 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and 1½ tablespoons milk in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high until light and fluffy (you can also use a bowl and a hand mixer).
- Frost the cookies and top with sprinkles, if desired.
These look awesome. It seems like a lot of frosting. Do you think I will have extra frosting or could I cut the frosting recipe in half?
I did not have a lot of extra frosting leftover when I made them. You could always try 3/4 of a batch: 3/4 cup butter, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1.5 teaspoons vanilla, 3.5 teaspoons milk.
These cookies were easy to make and so soft and delicious! I definitely plan to make them again!
Yay! So glad you liked them, Steph!